Method and apparatus for handling agricultural or horticultural produce

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for handling agricultural or horticultural products, for instance tomatoes or apples, wherein the products are transported in at least one reservoir filled with water substantially at a transporting level determined by the water surface in accordance with at least one transport path in the direction from a supply to a discharge. In order to reduce the required transporting space the method according to the invention has the feature that in order to buffer products the upper level of at least one product mass is carried by a level adjusting buffering device to a level other than the transporting level. The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing this method.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for handling agricultural or horticultural products, comprising at least one reservoir having water therein for transporting products substantially at a transporting level of the water surface along at least one transport path in a direction from a supply to a discharge and a level adjusting buffering means for displacing to a level other than the transporting level and holding at least one portion of the products thereby buffering said at least one portion of the products and thereby maintaining free said at least one transport path to permit at least one other portion of the products to be conveyed past said at least one portion of the products along said at least one transport path. 
     
     
       2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the buffering means comprise at least the container liftable out of the reservoir. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the buffering means comprises a plurality of liftable containers. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further including at least one sorting device on an infeed side and at least one packing device on a discharge side of a plurality of transport paths. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further including a plurality of the liftable containers. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein each said liftable container is formed as an elongated basket dimensioned to substantially fill a lane which forms at least part of one said transport path. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further including means for automatically operating said level adjusting buffering means. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for handling agricultural or horticultural products, comprising at least one reservoir having water therein for transporting products substantially at a transporting level of the water surface in accordance with at least one transport path in a direction from a supply to a discharge and a level adjusting buffering means for carrying the upper level of at least one product mass to a level other than the transporting level, wherein the buffering means comprise at least one container liftable out of the reservoir and wherein each said liftable container is formed as an elongated basket dimensioned to substantially fill a lane which forms at least part of one said transport path.